70th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the UDHR, this exhibit presents thirty key documents, each one expanding on and illustrating the specific human rights and fundamental freedoms proclaimed in each individual article comprising the Declaration.

The documents highlighted in this exhibit point to tremendous progress achieved, as well as to current challenges in the human rights arena: the protection of the rights of migrants and refugees, the right to a clean environment as a prerequisite for the enjoyment of other rights, tax abuse and modern forms of slavery as violations of human rights, or the obligation to remove obstacles in society that prevent persons with disabilities from fully enjoying their rights on an equal footing with others.

The exhibit suggests that the Declaration is indeed a living document and that, in the words of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, “…human rights are not impractical philosophical ideals. They are sound policy choices, which build strong, economically healthy, secure and peaceful societies.”